New-look Celtics open season

Danny Ainge made a major overhaul to the Celtics roster this offseason, jettisoning long-time stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Brooklyn and coach Doc Rivers to Los Angeles in exhange for players and draft picks. The team those three left behind is much different than the one we saw last season. Here’s a look at some of the changes.
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AP Photo

At the top, Ainge (left) has a new coach in former Butler coach Brad Stevens. Without clear-cut superstars and without even an established starting lineup, Stevens must work toward setting a rotation. How will the new players fit in? We break down the roster as it stands.
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Projected role: Rondo is the undisputed best player on the Celtics now that Pierce and Garnett have gone. His health is a concern. Coming off knee surgery, Rondo could return a month or later into the season. When he comes back, it will be fascinating to see just how much he decides to do himself. Will he try to bump up his scoring average? Will the assists go down?
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Projected role: Wallace had a down season last year, but he's a defensive specialist with a career scoring average of 12.9 points. He can give you a lot of things, kind of like Pierce without the shooting in that regard. Does he start? Does he come off the bench as a sixth man? A starting frontcourt of Wallace, Jeff Green, and Jared Sullinger would be undersized but interesting.
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Projected role: Despite a dismal season last year, Humphries is a plus-rebounder with a decent mid-range shot. He's an effective power forward when focused and used correctly. If the Celtics hold onto him, he could see big minutes, but he could be traded at some point this season given the value of his expiring $12 million contract. There's also his history with Rondo.
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Projected role: Brooks averaged 12.6 points per game his rookie season when the Nets were bad, but his role diminished last season when they acquired Joe Johnson That role is largely dependent on Brooks's shot selection. He struggled during the preseason, failing to get into the flow of the offense and forcing too many shots. Stevens won't play him if he's not more efficient.
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Projected role: Bogans was thrown into the Nets trade to make the salaries work. The Celtics don't have big plans for him, but he could provide a steady veteran presence and some key minutes at times. He’s one of a handful of shooting guards on the team who doesn’t really specialize in outside shooting.
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Projected role: If you’ve been paying attention to his Summer League and preseason performances, you've likely got Olynyk penciled in as a starter. That's premature, but he's shown himself to be a versatile big man who can shoot a little and put it on the floor. He’s an adept passeer who can run the floor and start or finish a break. Look for him to contribute between 12 and 25 minutes per game. If he were on a better team he may get serious rookie of the year consideration.
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Projected role: Green should be the team's No. 1 scoring option. Given that Rondo will be coming off an injury, Green may also lead the team in minutes. This is his time to prove he can lead a team in scoring for a full season like he did in the playoffs last season.
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Projected role: This is a make-or-break year of sorts for Bradley. He made the NBA's All Defensive second team last season, but his play declined in the playoffs when he was asked to run the offense. Sliding next to Rondo should improve his play. It better. The Celtics need to know if Bradley can be a star. He’ll start the season playing a lot of point guard, which is not his natural position.
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Projected role: Bass proved himself to be a reliable role player during the Big 3 era. His role on this team is a little more muddled, especially if Jared Sullinger comes back healthy. A trade looks likely given the crowd at this position. Bass is still a solid option who should see the minutes (around 28) he's been seeing.
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Projected role: Lee was an enigma last season. At times he looked like the team's best shooting guard, but he fell out of Doc Rivers's rotation in the playoffs. If Stevens can revive him, he could be a solid contributor in the backcourt.
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Projected role: Sullinger was well on his way to making an all-rookie team before going out for the season with a back injury. Sullinger can score inside and can rebound. He'll have a spot in the rotation right away, and it could be in a starting role.
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